The American University in Cairo Press (AUC Press)

17/08/2026

Listening to Syria

Watch this video Q&A with Alex Simon, researcher, writer, and co-founder of Synaps, where he discusses "Syrians in the Shadow of War: Everyday Struggles and Survival", a book drawn on more than three thousand interviews between 2017 and 2024, and explores how ordinary people began picking up the pieces as battle lines froze and global interest in Syria waned.
Alex talks about the stories behind the book, what inspired the project, and what he hopes readers will take away from the experiences of ordinary Syrians navigating conflict, economic hardship, and profound social change.

Learn more about “Syrians in the Shadow of War: Everyday Struggles and Survival,” edited by Alex Simon with a foreword by Matthieu Rey and Peter Harling (AUC Press, 2026): https://bit.ly/Syrians-in-the-Shadow-of-War

13/08/2026

Back in Stock!

"Authentic Egyptian Cooking: From the Table of Abou El Sid” (AUC Press, 2021)

The book features a collection of classic Egyptian favorites from one of Cairo’s leading restaurants, with 57 authentic recipes, each accompanied by stunning full-color photographs, making it a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds.

Learn more about the book “Authentic Egyptian Cooking: From the Table of Abou El Sid” by Nehal Leheta (AUC Press, 2021):
https://tinyurl.com/Authentic-Egyptian-Cooking

11/08/2026

New Release

"Syrians in the Shadow of War: Everyday Struggles and Survival" edited by Alex Simon, with a foreword by Matthieu Rey and Peter Harling, offers gripping accounts of how ordinary Syrians strove to survive the hardships that preceded the collapse of the Assad regime.

Born from on-the-ground fieldwork by Syrian analysts working in one of the world’s most challenging research environments, this book is itself a testament to the tenacity of the people whose experiences it documents. Their stories offer important insights for anyone with a stake in Syria’s future and in the challenges facing other post-conflict societies, from grassroots organizers to international policymakers.

As editor and co-founder of Synaps, Alex Simon writes in his publication-day post on People’s Planet Substack:

“Syrians in the Shadow of War is a people’s history, told from below. It distills thousands of stories from teachers and students, laborers and industrialists, refugees and returnees, militiamen and ex-detainees—all muddling through a war that changed them, and kept changing them even as violence slowed."

Read Alex Simon’s full publication-day post:
https://peoplesplanet.substack.com/p/publication-day-syrians-in-the-shadow

Learn more about Syrians in the Shadow of War" and get your copy at www.aucpress.com:
https://bit.ly/Syrians-in-the-Shadow-of-War

10/08/2026

Zahi Hawass Brings Ancient Egypt to Goldman Sachs in New York with “Tutankhamun: From Carter to the Golden City”

Renowned Egyptian archaeologist and former Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass recently delivered a lecture at Goldman Sachs in New York, sharing insights into ancient Egyptian civilization and the latest discoveries.

Following the lecture, Hawass took part in a Q&A session, answering questions from Goldman Sachs employees about the enduring mysteries of ancient Egypt and recent archaeological discoveries.

The event drew considerable interest, with Hawass signing copies of his latest book with AUC Press, “Tutankhamun: From Carter to the Golden City” (AUC Press, 2025).

Learn more about "Discovering Tutankhamun: From Howard Carter to the Golden City (Revised and Updated)" by Zahi Hawass with a foreword by Marc Gabolde (AUC Press, 2025) and explore the story of one of ancient Egypt’s most iconic pharaohs, from Howard Carter’s historic discovery to the latest archaeological revelations: https://tinyurl.com/Discovering-Tutankhamun

09/08/2026

As Syria looks toward reconstruction, understanding the past is essential to understanding what comes next.

A recent Arab News article, “Guterres urges full international support for rising Syria,” reports on UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for greater international support for Syria’s reconstruction. Read more here: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2652633/amp

But what does reconstruction mean for the people and communities who have lived through years of violence and displacement?

"Reconstruction as Violence in Assad’s Syria," edited by Nasser Rabbat and Deen Sharp (AUC Press, 2025) examines the politics of rebuilding in Syria, exploring how reconstruction can reshape communities, reinforce power, and deepen existing forms of displacement and dispossession.
Read more about the book in this blog post:
https://tinyurl.com/ReconstructionasViolence-blog

Reconstruction as Violence in Assad's Syria, edited by Nasser Rabbat and Deen Sharp, with a foreword by Hashim Sarkis and published in 2025 by AUC Press

08/08/2026

When Women in Translation Month Meets International Cat Day 🐾📚

It’s August, which means we’re celebrating Women in Translation Month, and today, 8 August, is International Cat Day

So, what happens when these two celebrations meet? A fictional panel of feline critics, of course 🐱

To celebrate women writers and their remarkable voices in translation, we’ve added a feline twist and a sprinkle of imagination.

Join our panel of Hoopoe’s feline critics as they pick their favorite novels by women writers from around the world, celebrating stories that cross languages and cultures.

Discover more here: https://aucpress.com/blog/2026/07/26/august-fiction-picks-celebrating-womens-voices-in-translation/

06/08/2026

Women in Translation Month 📚

It’s August, which means we’re celebrating Women in Translation Month! And if you don’t know where to begin, we’ve got you covered.

Celebrate women writers from around the world with a selection of fiction originally written in languages other than English and brought to readers through translation, spanning cultures, perspectives, and generations.

Browse this Women in Translation Month reading list and find your next great read.
https://bit.ly/women-in-translation-month

Women in Translation Month 📚

It’s August, which means we’re celebrating Women in Translation Month! And if you don’t know where to begin, we’ve got you covered.

Celebrate women writers from around the world with a selection of fiction originally written in languages other than English and brought to readers through translation, spanning cultures, perspectives, and generations.

Browse this Women in Translation Month reading list and find your next great read.
https://bit.ly/women-in-translation-month

04/08/2026

A Book of Religious Thought

"Religion and the Invisible World: Sanctity and Spiritual Transformation in Egypt from Pharaonic Times to the Present" by el-Sayed el-Aswad (AUC Press, 2026).

The book is a broad survey of the development and transformation of interrelated forms of invisibility, sanctity, and religious beliefs and rituals in Egypt, offering a holistic understanding of their similarities and differences in different historical epochs in Egypt.

You can order your copy from the AUC Bookstores Egypt, and worldwide from major bookstores, and online retailers.

Click here to learn more: https://aucpress.com/9781649033703/

30/07/2026

July / August Newsletter is Here!

Explore the latest updates from AUC Press in our e-newsletter and discover fresh books and engaging book talks.
(The link is in the comments section).

Stay updated—subscribe for the latest book news and events: https://bit.ly/AUCP-Newsletter-subscribe

21/07/2026

Join us in wishing Bahia Shehab a happy birthday!

Today, we're celebrating her contributions to the study of Arab visual culture by highlighting her acclaimed books published by AUC Press.

Researcher, designer Bahia Shehab is the author of “A Trade in Dreams: A Century of Egyptian Print Advertising” (AUC Press, 2026) and co-author, with Haytham Nawar, of “A History of Arab Graphic Design” (AUC Press, 2020), available in both English and Arabic.

In “A Trade in Dreams: A Century of Egyptian Print Advertising,” Shehab presents a lavishly illustrated cultural history of print advertising in Egypt. Spanning the late nineteenth century through the 1980s, the book offers an original perspective on Egypt's political, social, and cultural transformations through the lens of print advertising.

“A History of Arab Graphic Design” is an essential work on the evolution of Arab graphic design. It traces the development of the field from the early twentieth century to the digital age. Featuring the work of more than 80 pioneering designers and over 600 rare and vibrant visuals, it offers a compelling account of the cultural, social, and political forces that shaped graphic design across the Arab world.

Learn more about Bahia Shehab and explore her books: https://aucpress.com/author/bahia-shehab/